Meeting Waters YMCA will join over 10,000 other organizations nationwide in hosting Lights on Afterschool! celebrations on Thursday, October 23^rd. Launched in October 2000, Lights On Afterschool is the only nationwide event celebrating afterschool programs and their important role in the lives of children, families and communities.

Meeting Waters YMCA will host celebrations at each of its seven Y-ASPIRE sites—Brattleboro’s Green Street School, Oak Grove School and Academy School; Dummerston School, Putney Central School, Rockingham Central School and Walpole Primary School. All seven Lights On Afterschool! events will take place between 4:30 and 5:30 on the 23^rd. They are free and open to the public.

During the events, Y-ASPIRE participants will lead an activity and showcase recent projects that they’ve done in the program.

The Lights On AfterSchool! events will also provide education, community and business leaders a chance to hear about the critical role the regional Y’s Y-ASPIRE, Snow Day, and Y Day Camp programs are playing to provide hundreds of children with enriching out-of-school activities while, at the same time, supporting working parents and the companies that employ them.

As Meeting Waters YMCA Executive Director Steve Fortier stresses, “High-quality, well-designed out-of-school programs not only have a positive impact on the kids they serve, they also support families and strengthen local economies. Through our programs, more than 500 parents can contribute to their workplace knowing that their kids are safe, having fun, and developing important skills in the “out-of-school” time. Lights On AfterSchool! is our chance to showcase these contributions to the community.”

The Lights On Afterschool! advocacy events nationwide are coordinated by the Afterschool Alliance, a coalition of private, public and nonprofit organizations, including YMCAs.

Information about Lights On Afterschool!, Y-ASPIRE and other Meeting Waters YMCA programs is available at http://www.meetingwatersymca.org, on their facebook page, by calling the office nearest you (Bellows Falls: 463-4769; Brattleboro: 246-1036; or Springfield: 885-8131) or by emailing info@meetingwatersymca.org.

Meeting Waters YMCA is a charitable, non-profit, social service organization founded in 1895. Its services positively impact children, teens, families and communities throughout the Fall Mountain, Springfield, Bellows Falls and Brattleboro regions.